New License Permits

Limited Instruction Permit (age 16 to 18)

A Rhode Island drivers permit can be issued to any Rhode Island resident who is 16 but less than 18 years of age, and has completed the 33 hour driver education course certified by the Community College of Rhode Island. For more information call CCRI (401) 825-1214.

Applicants who have completed a driver education class outside of Rhode Island must get their course approved by CCRI. Then come to the DMV headquarters in Cranston with the yellow CCRI certificate to take a computerized knowledge exam.

Applicants who have completed the CCRI course and passed the written exam, will be given a certificate. Bring the certificate along with the License/ID/Permit Application, a birth document and social security card to any DMV branch location. All documents must be originals. Please refer to the third page of the License/ID/Permit Application for a complete list of documents needed to perform this transaction.

A parent, legal guardian, licensed foster parent or adult spouse must be present to sign the permit application. A parent, legal guardian or foster parent must show identification.
Legal guardian or licensed foster parent must show documentation to verify their authorization.

This permit is valid for one year or until the applicant turns 18, whichever comes first. A road test may not be given until the permit is held for six months, however a road test appointment may be scheduled at the time a permit is received.

Limited Provisional License: you must have held the Limited Instructional Permit for at least 6 months and not been convicted of a motor vehicle violation during that period. You must also present an affidavit signed by a parent or guardian stating that you have completed a minimum of 50 hours of driving experience with a supervising driver with 10 of those hours at night.

Full Operator's License: you must be 17 years old but less than 18 years old, held a Limited Provisional License for at least 12 months, and not been convicted of a motor vehicle violation during the preceding 6 months.

Instruction Permit (age 18 and older)

Any Rhode Island resident 18 years of age or older who has have never been issued a Rhode Island driver's license or if the license has been expired for more than five years, must apply for a driving instruction permit by taking the computerized knowledge exam.

New residents from Out-of-Country who are 18 or older, must apply for an Instruction Permit.

A drivers education course is not required to obtain an instruction permit.